Pipe-thread protector.



n. J. CABLE. PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 18, 1910.

1,000,375. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

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PIPE THREAD PROTECTOR. APPLICATION I'ILEI) JAN. 18, 1910f Patented Aug. 15,1911.

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COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CCIQWASHINUTON D C UNIE STATS ATENT OFFICE.

DANIEL J. CABLE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

PIPE-THREAD PROTECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Aug. 15, 1911.

Application filed January 18, 1910. Serial No. 538,740.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DANIEL J. CABLE, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Pipe-Thread Protector, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a new and improved means for protecting the threaded ends of pipe rods and the like, and my said invention more particularly refers to improvements in that type of protecting means disclosed in my co-pending application filed Nov. 12, 1909, Serial No. 527 ,7 33.

My present invention comprehends, in its generic nature, an improved arrangement of thread following means for cooperating with the protecting rim or body, so designed, whereby a desired one of the said means can be used in connection with the protector rim body to suit the character of the threads of the pipe end upon which it is desired to place the protector.

My present invention, in its generic nature, comprehends an improved arrangement of thread following means for cooperating with the protector rim or body and so shaped whereby a desired size of the said means can be used in connection with the protector body to suit the character of the threads of the pipe end, on which it is desired to place the protector.

My present invention also embodies sup-.

plemental means for protecting the thread after the protector has been applied and finally fitted upon the pipe end, to add such rigidity to the protector body that the same will stand hard blows without impairing its utility for protecting the threads.

Another and important improvement embodied in my present form of thread protector lies in making the body ring shaped, ornamental and of such nature that when fitted upon the pipe end, it forms, as it were, a rolling bearing for the pipe end, a desirable advantage when loading and unloading the pipes.

Again, my present invention comprehends, in connection with a split band or ring, and means for locking the ends thereof together, thread engaging members of tapering shape whereby the crowding and binding of the inner edge of the ring on the largest diameter of the threaded pipe end is rendered more effective than heretofore.

My present invention also embodies, in its more complete make-up, a thread following means of metal, preferably malleable iron, capable of being secured to the flexible metal band or ring member before or after the protector band is bent up, and a special cooperative arrangement of the said follower means, and the band or ring member whereby to provide a plurality of thread engaging members having relatively the required pitch or curvature of the threads, with which they are to engage. I

Furthermore, my present invention has for its purpose the provision of follower means, tapering or wedge shape, whereby the spreading of the forward edge of the protecting ring is provided for, as the ring is screwed home to cause the said edge to rise over the larger diameter of the pipe.

In its more subordinate features, my present invention consists in certain details of construction and peculiar combination of parts, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained, specifically pointed out in the appended claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved thread protector, and shows the preferred form, as applied to a threaded pipe end. Fig. 2, is a perspective view of a portion of the plain band or ring ready to receive the cleats or thread followers. Fig. 3, is a detail longitudinal section of the threaded end of a pipe and shows the manner of applying the protector. Fig. 4: is a similar view that shows the relative position of the threaded portion of the protector and the front or clamping edge and the outer or stop edge, when the protector is screwed home. Fig. 5, is a plan view of the ring blank and shows the selective manner of arranging the puncture for the fastener studs of the thread followers. spective View of the joint lock and thread follower. Fig. 7, is a similar view of one of the other thread followers. Fig. 8, is a perspective view of my improved thread protector and shows the preferred form. Fig. 9, is a detail view of a portion of the ring or band, with the supplemental protector member hereinafter referred to. Fig. 10, is a detail view that illustrates the utility of said Fig. 6, is a persupplemental member. Fig. 11, shows a modified form of follower cleat. Fig. 12, is a detail view that shows its application to a modified type of the ring member. Fig. 13, is a detail View of the modified type of ring partially shown in Fig. 12 and hereinafter specifically referred to. Fig. 1 1, shows the manner in which the meeting ends of the ring member, Fig, 13, are clamped together. Fig. 15, is a detail view of the follower cleat that clamps the ends of the ring, Fig. 13,together. Fig. 16, is a detail view of a further modification hereinafter described.

In itspractical arrangement, my present invention comprises essentially an outer band or ring member of flexible metal adapted for beingbent up into 'a ring shape, and internal thread engaging members, preferably of hardmetal and adapted for being applied to the band or ring before or after it has been bent up to shape, andmy present construction essentially differs from the disclosure in my co-pendingapplication in that the thread engaging members are attached to, instead of being an integral part of the ring, the primary reason therefor being to provide an accurate arrangement of the threads on the engaging member'to suit the angle or pitch of the pipe threads on which the protecto-r is applied.

In my present construction the ring or protecting band 1 is stamped or otherwise first made of blank shape, see Fig. 5, and then bent to the ring shape, see Fig. 8, with its opposite edges curved down to form flanges 1010 the body in transverse section being also curved as at 10 so that when the protector is placed on the pipe in its complete form, it presents an ornamental appearance and at the same time a bearing on which the pipe may be rocked lengthwise or readily rolled during the process of loading and unloading pipes.

The meeting ends of the pipe 1 are convexed as at 1010, thereason for which will presently appear. The blank member 1 before it is bent to circular shape, is punctured at predetermined points and the said apertures 11 are punched in arithmetical progression'from a given straight line, see wx of F ig. 5, drawn through the center of the ring, thus giving the desired pitch to provide for the required setting or adjustment of the followers 2 and 20 that their threaded faces 21 accurately travel 'or engage with the pipe threads.

Fig. 2, shows a part of the ring blank 1, curled up ready to receive the follower cleats 2 and 20 of which any number may be riveted to the ring, to give the desired rigidit-y thereto and produce a strong protecting body.

Each of the follower cleats is preferably of malleable iron, is wedge shape, and has a rivet stud 22 for extending through the apertures 11 in ring 1, one of said cleats forming the thread engaging member and having their innerv or threaded faces cut and pitched to suit the threads upon the pipes for which the protector is to be used, it being understood that the accurate setting of the parts 2 and 20 is governed by the manner in which the blank '(see Fig. 5) is punched.

The manner in which the protector, so far described, is appliedin practice and its action, is best explained as follows. When applied to the end of a piece of pipe, it is threaded thereon the same as applying an ordinary threaded collar.

To provide for spreading the front edge of the ring member 'as it is screwed onto the threaded end of the pipe, the meeting ends of the said ring are convexed as before stated, and indicated by 10 in the drawings, and by reason thereof the front edge of the ring, when it has been screwed home, slips onto and tightly binds upon the smooth ex ternal face of the pipe as best shown in Fig. 4.

By reason of connecting and shaping. the ring ends 10 in the manner stated, and particularly since the screw followers or cleats are tapered, it follows that when the ring members are screwed home the front or turned down edge forms a bearing member that rises up on the smooth part'of the pipe and firmly grips the same and at the same time produces a neat and ornamental finish to the pipe end. Another and advan tageous result attained by making the, cleats or followers 2 and 20 tapering is that when the cleats are screwedhorne on the thread pipe end, the ring has the appearance of an annular concentric flange, which not alone gives the ornamental end shape to the pipe, but as hereinbefore mentioned, causes the said ring to also act as 'a rocker bearing for the end of the pipe when the said, pipe is tilted lengthwise and to act as a rolling bearing when the pipe is moved in transverse direction.

It should be understood that in practice there is always some m'ovementbetween the cleats 2 and the flanges 10-10 due to the a fact that the metal of the flanges 10,1O will give sufficiently, sothat the rivets 22.

band to permit the diameter of. the ringjatthe edge 0 tobe increased while. the diam ete'r of the ring at the edge d will be correi-i tector and especially at points between the several thread followers or cleats 2 and 20 the ring band 1 is slit and the slit portions are bent inwardly to form supplemental protector members 12 they being of suflicient 115 depth to seat in the bottom of the threads in the manner clearly understood by reference to Fig. 10 of the drawing, and for still further protecting the flexible body 1 at points between the solid metal cleats or followers, a composition filling 13 of cardboard or fiber may be used as indicated by Fig. 16.

Figs. 11 to 15 inclusive illustrate modifications of my present invention in which,

instead of securing the cleats by rivet studs,

the said cleats may have end lips 23-23 for bending through and over notches 14l14 in the curved-in edges of the ring, see Fig. 12, and one of the said cleats or followers has additional lips 24:24 for extending through the slots 25-25 in the meeting ends of the ring, see Fig. 13 to bend over and lock the said ends firmly together as shown in Fig. 14:.

While the several forms shown and described disclose the preferred arrangement of my present invention, various changes in form and the details described may be made without departing from the scope of the ap pended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A thread protector comprising a sheet metal band adapted to be bent ring-like over the threaded end of a pipe, means for connecting the ends of the band, and members attached to the band having threaded surfaces for engaging the screw threads on the pipe, said members being wedge shaped in cross section.

2. A thread protector comprising a sheet metal band, the opposite sides of which are curved to form flanges, means for joining the ends of said band, and tapering members attached to the inner face of said band, said tapering members having one face provided with thread portions to engage the pipe threads, substantially as shown and described.

3. A thread protector, consisting of a sheet metal band, adapted to be bent around the threaded ends of a pipe, means for coupling the edges of the ends of the band together, integral members on the band that project inwardly for engaging the pipe threads and other members on the inner face of the band for engaging the pipe threads.

4:. A pipe thread protector, comprising a band. bendable over the threads of a pipe end, means for engaging the said threads mounted on the inner face of the band, said means having members for holding the band to its bent up shape.

5. A pipe thread protector, comprising a band bendable into ring-shape, means for engaging a pipe thread mounted with said band, said engaging means having provisions for connecting said band at its ends to retain said band in its bent up or ring-shape and simultaneously holding the ends of said band to abut one another.

6. A pipe thread protector comprising a split sheet metal ring, hard metal members having thread faces for engaging with the threaded end of the pipe, and means for securing the threaded members to the inner face of the ring, one of the said hard metal thread engaging members being located under the meeting ends of the ring and having means for connecting the said ends.

7. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal ring to encircle the threaded end of a pipe and a plurality of distinct individual thread engaging members secured on the inner face of said ring and spaced apart in a circumferential direction.

8. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal band eXpandible at one edge, means for holding the band to the bent up shape and yet allow for its inner edge to spread, and hard metal members on the inner face of the band for engaging with the pipe threads.

9. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal band expansible at one side, means for connecting the ends of the band together to permit rolling contact between the ends of said band and thereby allow the diameter of one side of said band to be increased while the diameter of the opposite side of said band is diminished.

10. A pipe thread protector, comprising an expandible sheet metal ring and hard metal members having thread faces for engaging the pipe threads, and means for securing the thread members to the inner face of the ring, in spiral arrangement.

11. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal band expansible at one side, means for connecting the ends of the band together to permit rolling contact between the ends of said band and thereby allow the diameter of one side of said band to be in- I gaging the pipe threads, and means for securing said threaded members to the inner face of said ring in a spiral arrangement and spaced apart in a circumferential direction.

13. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal ring convexed in cross section, and a series of circumferentially arranged and spaced thread followers secured on the inner face of said ring.

14. A pipe thread protector, comprising a sheet metal ring convexed in cross section and a series of circumferentially spaced metal thread followers on the inner face of the ring, the opposite edges of the ring being curved inwardly to form annular flanges.

15.'A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal band adapted to be bent into a ring-shape, the meeting edges of said band being convened, means for holding the ends of said band together, said means being pivotally connected to each end of said band,

and thread followers mounted on the inner.

' being conveXed and punctured, thread followers mounted on the inner face of the hand, one of said followers having members for interlocking with the said end punctures.

18. A pipe thread protector, comprising a sheet metal ring a plurality of hard metal pipe thread engaging members on the inside of the ring, said ring having integral pipe thread engaging members at points between the hard metal members.

19. A pipe thread protector, comprising a sheet metal ring, a plurality of hard metal pipe thread engaging members on the inside of the ring, said ring having integral pipe thread engaging members at points between the hard metal members, and a yieldable filling in the spaces between the said hard metal members.

20. A pipe thread protector comprising a sheet metal ring, a thread engaging member held on the inside of said ring, said thread engaging member having a pair of spaced lugs, said ring being split and having its ends abutting one another said abutting ends each having an opening to receive said lugs, said lugs adapted to be upset to secure said thread engaging member to said ring and thereby hold the ends of said ring together.

21. A pipe thread protector comprising a flexible band and hard metal pipe thread engaging portions on the inner face thereof, said portions extending the full width of the ring, the outer face of the ring being of convexed shape in cross section.

DANIEL J. CABLE.

Witnesses:

GEO. D. TINDLE, SAMUEL D. WARMCASTLE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained foriive cents each, Dy addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington. D. C. 

